Convertible wooden furniture



'Nov. 18,1969 P. LAFER 3,479,083

CONVERT IBLE WOODEN FURNITURE Filed July 10. 196'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov.18,1969 P. LAFER 3,479,083

CONVERTIBLE WOODEN FURNITURE} Filed July 10, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5

BY W S S Nov. 1 18, 1969 P. LA-FER CONVERTIBLE WOOD-EN FURNITURE 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 10, 1967 I VELITOR: 0 mHt k NOV. 18, 1969 P 'IAFER 3,479,083

"CONVERTIBLE WOODEN FURNITURE Filed July 1.0;196'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 L wW W, WW

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F 6.11 ,NVENETQM United States Patent 83,622 Int. Cl. A47c 13/00, 3/04,-A47b 83/02 US. Cl. 297118 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Acombination table and chair unit that converts into a buffet unit. Thetable-top board comprises two halves, one of which is pivotally attachedto a supporting frame structure, with the two halves being hingedtogether. The two halves lie in a coplanar relationship to form atable-top, but in the buffet position, the two halves fold together andpivot to a position within the outline of the supporting framestructure. An even number of chairs are provided, each having a foldingback and a folding seat. The seat and the back swing rearwardly anddownwardly until the back lies within the outline of a pair of verticalback support members and the seat rests against the back. In the buffetposition, the folded chairs are stacked in pairs in a side-by-siderelationship beneath the folded top board. A first folded chair of eachpair is inverted and superimposed over the second folded chair. Therearward face of the back of the lower chair of each pair forms part ofa vertical front face of the buffet unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As it is already known, several solutionshave been presented in the past to obtain pieces of furniture forsitting rooms, especially dining tables, that could be compacted inorder to reduce the space they occupy when not used for their specificpurpose.

As examples are the well known tables with the upper board which can befolded or bended, or that have a central opening permitting theinsertion of a lengthening board, as the so-called console.

However, although it was possible to thus reduce the area occupied bythe upper board of the table, it was not considered a satisfactorysolution with reference to the chairs, which occupy the same spacewhether they are used or not.

Also, known are the pieces of furniture called conjugated whichrepresent one solution for combining two pieces that are used fordifferent purposes. An example is the inlayed bed with its back sideequipped with drawers that serve as a wardrobe when the bed isvertically placed, or sofa-beds conjugated with wardrobes, and so on.

It is obvious that the search for these solutions is chiefly dictated bythe need to unite the advantages of construction and function with theexternal appearance and better decoration of modern apartmentswhich aregenerally of small dimensions and have no space to hold the standardpieces of furniture.

tIn view of these facts, one can see the great importance that attachesto any kind of improvement intended to produce pieces of furniture whichare at the same time compact, versatile in use, and aesthetical for thedecoration of modern homes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The convertible piece of furniture of thisinvention includes a table having a frame of rectangular dimensionsformed by two laterally spaced, inverted, generally U- shaped endmembers forming the legs of the table, which end members are connectedat the rear by upper and lower parallel crossbeams and at the front by afront supporting bar. The frame carries a rectangular table top boardarticulated longitudinally at its middle to provide front and rear boardhalves. The rear half is pivotally conected to the frame for swingingmovements only so that the two halves can be simultaneously pivoted andfolded from an open position in which the two halves lie in a coplanarrelationship to a folded buffet position in which the rear half overliesthe front half within the outline of the frame. A pair of end panels arepivotally attached at their upper ends between the legs of the tableframe and hang downwardly between the legs with the table top boardfolded. When the top board is opened, the two end panels can be swunginto a retracted position under the board and releasably attachedthereto, to provide additional sitting room at the table ends and to aidin holding the top board securely in the open position. A plurality ofchairs are provided each having a chair frame with front and rear pairsof legs, seat supporting structure and back supporting structuretherefor. Each chair has a seat which is pivotally attached apredetermined distance above the horizontal seat supporting structure ofthe chair frame by a curved tubular frame permitting the seat to bepivoted between a generally horizontal seat position and a generallyvertical position in which the seat lies against the back of the chair.The back of each chair has a lower portion thereof supported by hingemeans connected to the front face thereof and to the rear edge of theseat. The upper portion of the back is supported for generally verticalsliding movements by the back supporting structure which includes a pairof upstanding back support members between which the back is mounted.The upward pivoting of the seat thus causes the downward sliding of theback from a backrest position extending above the back supportingstructure to a lower vertical position within the outline of the backsupporting structure. The chairs are designed to be fitted together inpairs, wi.h one folded chair being inverted and superimposed over theother folded chair of the pair. The pairs are then inserted in aside-by-side relationship beneath the folded top board from one sidethereof and within the confines of the frame so that the backs of thebottom chair of each pair form a front wall for the buffet unit. Theresulting buffet or sideboard has a top surface formed by the rear topboard half, a front surface formed by the backs of the lower chairs, anda pair of end surfaces formed by the two end panels.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide apiece of furniture for sitting rooms which can present all theadvantages above described, to be normally used as a dining table withfour or more chairs and afterwards converted into a compact set, lookinglike a buffet or sideboard, thus reducing the space it occupies andpresenting a better decorative effect.

The invention will be better understood in light of the encloseddrawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the convertible piece offurniture is shown, as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the table and chairs ready for use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the set in FIG. 1, after conversion intoa compact set, looking like a buffet or sideboard;

FIG. 3 is a side view, in vertical section, of a chair of the set inposition for use;

FIG. 4 is a side view, in vertical section, of the chair showing thearticulations of the seat and of the back;

FIG. 5 is a side view, in vertical section, of the chair in position toreceive a second one, with the second one inverted and superpositionedthereon;

FIG. 6 has a fragmentary view in perspective of the upper board and endpanel of the table, showing their articulations;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view following line AA of FIG. 6 showing theinitial phase of the articulated movement of the board;

FIG. 8 is the same view showing the sequence of articulated movement;

FIG. 9 is the same view showing the board in the closed buffet position;

FIG. is a sectional view through line BB of FIG. 6 showing theoscillating movement of the table and end panel; and

FIG. 11 is the same view of an end panel in a latching or retractedposition hidden under the table upper board.

By the drawings it is seen that the piece of furniture of this inventionis constituted by a set of dinner table and chairs, in the presentexample six of them, FIG. 1, but there can be more chairs, always inpairs, from a minimum of four.

On the other hand, in FIG. 2 is shown the same table and chair unitconverted into a compact sideboard or buffet unit, formed by the tablewith bended board and by the chairs which, two by two, FIG. 5, arefitted in a side-by-side relationship in the space defined by the tablelegs, FIG. 2, so that, upon positioning this furniture against a wallone obtains the decorative effect of a sideboard or buffet.

In FIG. 6 to FIG. 11 are shown the construction and functioning of thetable. The said table presents a parallelepipedal shape formed by twolaterally spaced inverted, generally U-shaped frames 1 opened in theirlower part to form the legs of the table, connected on their back sideby an upper crossbeam 2 and one lower crossbeam 3 parallel thereto. Thistable frame supports a table top board 6 having a front half and a rearhalf hinged thereto.

Between the upper ends of the legs of said lateral frames 1 are locatedthe end panels 4 articulated on pins 5, which execute a rocking movementfollowing arrow L, passing from a retracted position, FIG. 11, under theboard 6 of the table, when this is used as such, to a vertical position,FIGS- 69, during the conversion of the table into a sideboard.

In order to hide the lateral end panels 4, there are provided in thelower surface of each end of the front half of the table board 6, thebolt stop 7 and the hook 8 to cramp with pin 9 placed centrally on thefree end of each of said panels. With end panel 4 in its retractedposition, bolt stop 7 engages the upper surface of the end panel toprevent downward movements of top board 6 at its center. When the pin 9is cramped on hook 8 and adjusted on bolt stop 7, each of the lateralpanels 4 will stay totally bended and retracted under the table board,making the board 6 stronger and preventing its opening by the action ofany weight applied to the work surface and also allowing two more peopleto sit at the heads of the table.

In order to convert the two piece upper board 6 of the table into anupper board of the sideboard it is initially necessary to raise thefront half of said board some centimetres, to provoke the angulardisplacing of the hook 8 enough to free the pin 9, thus permitting thereturn of each lateral panel 4 to its vertical position.

The movements of the board 6 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 are executed alongthe path of the arrow L by raising the rear half of the board, whichprovokes the sliding of the front half of the board along arrow S, by alevel action of the rear half of the board which pivots on pins 11.During these movements, the front half also describes the are A, asshown in FIG. 8. The board 6 simultaneously pivots about pins 11 andfolds about hinges 10 to initially move to the position shown in dashedlines in FIG. 8, and finally moves to the full overlying position of thetwo board halves as shown in FIG. 9 wherein both lie within the outlineof the table frame.

To facilitate the sliding movement of the front half of the upper tableboard and for its own support when in open position, the frame isprovided with a longiudinal front supporting bar 12. Two spaced wedges13 are secured to the bottom surface of the front half of said board,the beveled end part of the wedge acting to facilitate the return of theboard to open position by sliding on bar 12. In the open position of thetable 6, the two wedges 13 rest on bar 12 to support the front half. Inthe folded position, the free edge of the front half rests directly onthe front supporting bar 12.

With reference to the chairs, FIGS. 3 to 5, it is noted that they aresupported by a simple frame -13, forming the front and rear pairs oflegs, the seat supporting structure and the back supporting structure.The frame 13 is provided with front and rear anchoring crossbars 14 and15. The constructive and functional improvement is the doublearticulation of the seat 16 and the back 17 thereof.

On FIG. 4 it is seen that the seat 16 is articulated with the back 17 bymeans of hinge 18 which is secured to the rear edge of seat 16 and thefront face of the bottom portion of back 17. The upper portion of theback 17 is provided with a transversal cutting 19 through which isintroduced a guidance staff 20 connected to frame 13, allowing thesliding of the back between the two upstanding back support members ofupper frame 13, in the length of opening 19 and in the direction ofarrow B. The said vertical movement of back 17 permits the pivoting ofseat 16, in the direction of arrow T, FIG, 4, so that both the seat andback can be folded to a vertical position, FIG. 5, in which they rest onthe crossbar 15,

The seat 16 is suported a predetermined distance above chair frame 13 bya curved tubular frame 21. Frame 21 comprises a pair of laterallyspaced, generally U-shaped, inverted side portions, the front ends ofwhich are connected by a transverse bar that rests on front crossbar 14with the seat in the horizontal position, and the free rear ends ofwhich are pivotally secured at 22 to the horizontal seat supportingstructure of frame 13. Once vertically folded, the chairs are conjugatedby pairs, FIGS. 5, and are then packed between the legs 1 of the tablehaving its upper board bent, FIG. 2, in order that the back of thechairs form, in the set, the front of the sideboard.

It is noted that when the chairs are arranged or conjugated in pairs,one folded chair of the pair is inverted and superimposed over the otherfolded chair of the pair, with the horizontal seat supporting structureof frame 13 of the upper chair resting on the same structure of theother. The legs of the upper chair terminate at the same height as thetops of the upstanding back support members and the top of the back ofthe lower chair. The curved frame 21 of each chair lies between thefront legs of the other chair.

It is obvious that the invention can be realized with four, six, eightor more chairs, provided the proper dimensions of the various elementsare based on the general meaning of the invention.

I claim:

1. A table and chair unit that converts into a buffet unit, comprising:

(a) a table having a frame with a table top board carried thereby, saidtop board comprising front and rear halves;

(b) hinge means connecting said halves together at their adjoiningedges;

(0) means for pivotally connecting said rear half to said frame at itsopposite ends for swinging movements only, so that said two halves canbe simultaneously pivoted and folded from an open position in which saidtwo halves lie in a coplanar relationship, to a folded buffet positionin which said rear half overlies said front half within the outline ofsaid frame;

(d) means in addition to said hinge means for supporting said front halfin said open position and in said folded position; and

(e) a plurality of chairs each having a back, and each being designed tobe fitted together with another chair, with one chair inverted andsuperimposed over the other chair of the pair, said pairs being insertedin a side-by-side relationship beneath said folded top board from oneside thereof and within the confines of said frame when converted to abuffet, said backs of the bottom chair of each pair forming a front wallfor said buffet unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said chairs has a chairframe comprising front and rear pairs of legs, seat supporting structureand back supporting structure therefor, and further has a seat and aback, said seat being pivotally attached to said chair frame forpivoting between a generally horizontal seat position and a generallyvertical position in which said seat lies against said back, said backhaving a lower portion thereof supported by hinge means connected to afront face thereof and to the rear edge of said seat, the upper portionof said back being supported for generally vertical sliding movements bysaid back supporting structure, said back thereby being movable inconjunction with the movements of said seat between a backrest positionextending above said back supporting structure, and a folded positionwithin the outline of said back supporting structure.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a front crossbar links the frontpair of chair legs and a back crossbar links the rear pair of chairlegs, wherein said seat is supported above the chair frame in itshorizontal position by a curved tubular frame including a pair ofinverted U-shaped side portions connected at their front ends by atransverse bar that rests on the front crossbar and a pair of free endsthat are pivotally secured to said frame, the upward pivoting of saidseat thus causing the downward sliding of said back, said back and seatin said vertical position resting on said rear crossbar.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said table frame is formed by twolaterally spaced, inverted, generally U-shaped members forming the legsthereof, connected at the rear by upper and lower crossbeams, and at thefront by a front supporting bar, said front half of said table top boardhaving a Wedge attached to the bottom surface thereof that rests on saidfront supporting bar in the table top position to support said fronthalf, said wedge having a beveled end to facilitate the sliding of thefront half over said front supporting bar during pivoting of said rearhalf, the free edge of said front half resting directly on said frontsupporting bar when in the folded buffet position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 including an end panel mounted between thelegs of each U-shaped member, said panels being pivotally attached attheir upper ends to the upper ends of said legs and hanging downwardlybetween said legs with the table in the buffet position, and meansincluding hook means secured to the bottom surface of said front half ofsaidtop board and pin means attached to the free ends of said panels tohold said panels in a retracted positon under the top board with theboard in the open position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including bolt stop means secured to thebottom surface of said front half of said top board, said bolt stopmeans engaging the upper surfaces of said panels in their retractedpositions to prevent downward movements of said top board at its center.

7. In a convertible table and chair combination wherein the table has aframe with a folding two-piece top board carried thereby, wherein thetwo-piece top board is movable from an open position to a folded buffetposition in which one piece overlies the other piece within the outlineof the frame, an even number of chairs designed to be arranged in pairsfor stacking with one chair of the pair inverted and superimposed overthe other chair of the pair, said pairs being'inserted in a side-by-siderelationship beneath said folded top board from one side thereof, saidchairs each having a back so that the back of the bottom chair of eachpair forms a front wall for the buffet.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each chair has a chair frameincluding legs, a horizontal seat supporting structure and backsupporting structure, and further has a seat pivotally supported apredetermined distance above said seat supporting structure by a curvedtubular frame, wherein said seat is rearwardly pivoted to a generallyvertical position for stacking, wherein the horizontal seat supportingstructure of the upper inverted chair rests on the same structure of thelower chair when superimposed therein, and wherein the legs of the upperinverted chair terminate at the same height as the top of the backsupporting member of the lower chair.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,254,916 7/1966 Bass 2973,353,865 11/1967 Bass 297l43 154,453 7/1949 Schukat 312--235 X1,182,339 5/1916 Bekesi 312-235 X 1,874,693 8/1932 Beauvais et a1.108-63 2,614,018 10/1952 Engel 297140 X 2,665,963 1/1954 Wallack 312235FOREIGN PATENTS 168,402 8/ 1949 Austria. 708,410 5/1954 Great Britain.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

